


Please Don’t Leave a Message

by Sandylee007



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Accidents, Alternate Universe - Real World, Angst, Character Death, Drama, Fights, Grief/Mourning, Hate Crimes, Heartbreak, Hurt No Comfort, Loss, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 23:37:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19283506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandylee007/pseuds/Sandylee007
Summary: REAL WORLD AUAfter a bitter fight with Magnus Alec gets into an accident and is injured badly. Several people try to reach Magnus to alert him of the situation. Will he make it to Alec’s bedside before it’s too late?A SAD LITTLE MALEC ONESHOT





	Please Don’t Leave a Message

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve… been having one of THOSE days. So my head produced this. Sorry Magnus and Alec...! (winces)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Nooope, I still don’t own a thing. Seeing my bank account’s status is believing.
> 
> WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH, sadness, feels... This ain’t a happy ride. (winces)
> 
> Awkay... Are you ready? Are you SURE? Because here we go. I REALLY hope that you’ll enjoy the ride!

It was the tenth fight they had in under two weeks. And all signs pointed towards more following soon. In the light of an infuriatingly bright morning they spat out words neither of them meant.

It started from Alec being called to work due to an emergency and the man promising to go despite having sworn to take a day off. Jealousy, frustration, insecurities and trust issues reared their heads in the worst way. Guilt made it infinitely worse. With how busy their work schedules had been it was their first chance to enjoy a breakfast together in three weeks. They’d been looking forward to it and dreamed of how romantic it’d be. And now they were picking up a fight they both loathed. Yet neither knew how to stop. Until the fight stopped itself bitterly.

“I’m not a child, Magnus!”

“Then stop acting like one!”

Alec glared at what was a lovely, delicious breakfast. Because at that moment he couldn’t look at his boyfriend. “You know what?” he hissed. Hating how his eyes burned from nearly spilling tears. “I lost my appetite. I’m going to work.”

“Alexander...”

Alec didn’t pause to listen. Nor did he offer a kiss or a hug. He still didn’t look Magnus’ way. And the older man didn’t go after him or ask him to stay when he walked away.

Sometimes it’s not the words and deeds we say and do we regret the most – but those we don’t.

/

“ _You’ve reached the voicemail of Magnus Bane. Please don’t leave a message after the tone. It’s horribly outdated._ ”

“ _Magnus, what I said... I didn’t mean it. And I’m sorry._ ” Alec sighed heavily and sobbed, just once. “ _I love you, okay? Happy anniversary._ ”

/

Alec planned on trying to call again. Because they really needed to talk. But work swallowed him up in whole, as it too often did.

Far too late that evening Alec was on his way home and to Magnus’, having decided that this was something they needed to sort out face to face. In the middle of his journey his steps came to a halt while he was passing by a jewelry store. Because he saw a ring he hadn’t even realized he was looking for.

It was incredibly beautiful, made of white gold. Parts of it had been shaped to look like wings, and in the middle of them was an onyx stone. Alec was instantly lost into staring at it, captivated the same way Magnus’ eyes had him spellbound.

A million and one moments they’d shared together went through Alec’s mind. Along with a thousand thoughts. Until only one solidified, and a smile of cautious hope appeared to his lips.

It was time to make it official that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Magnus.

/

The next person reaching Magnus’ voicemail sounded almost as distraught as Alec did. It was Catarina. “ _Magnus, I need you to call me back as soon as you get this. It’s about Alec._ ”

/

Alec opened his eyes and regretted it the second merciless fluorescent lights made his head feel like it’d been split open. He groaned and squeezed his eyes tightly closed. Hard as he tried, he couldn’t quite figure out what’d happened.

“Alec?” Izzy’s voice echoed painfully. “Can you hear me?”

With immense difficulty he peeled his eyes open, eager to see her. He frowned at how red and puffy her eyes were. “... okay?” he rasped. And would’ve reached out to wipe away the single tear she shed, if he’d had the strength.

Izzy stared at him in disbelief. Then scoffed and sniffled simultaneously while shaking her head. “You got hit by a car, and you’re asking me if I’m okay?”

Alec’s brows furrowed. His head was so fuzzy, it was hard to comprehend what she was saying. “... car ...?” He... couldn’t remember anything about that. But what she was saying would explain why he was in a hospital.

That was when he remembered the fight. And the ring. Suddenly breathing became almost impossible, and he was in a ridiculous amount of pain. But he had to... Needed to... “Magnus...”, he wheezed. “... something ... a gift ... give him...” He found the love of his life. Someone he would’ve happily spent decades – centuries, if only it was possible – with. He needed Magnus to get the ring, even if he wouldn’t be able to give it himself. So the older man would never, ever again doubt how much he meant to him.

Alec was only dimly aware of the tears spilling to his cheeks. All of a sudden medical professionals were swarming frantically around him, pushing Izzy away. He could feel himself slipping away and was terrified. Of dying, of going without getting the chance to make things right with Magnus. “... tell him ...”, he begged, using whatever little breath he had left. _Tell Magnus I’m sorry. Tell him I love him._

At the exact moment an oxygen mask was placed on Alec’s face his eyes rolled back, and he faded away.

/

The third person leaving Magnus a message was crying openly. “ _Magnus, Alec... There’s been an accident. And... You need to come to the hospital, now. Damnit, please...!_ ” Izzy trailed off before hanging up.

When she called again someone did pick up. It wasn’t Magnus. “ _Iz, it’s... It’s Luke._ ” The man sounded incredibly sad.

She frowned. Cold that’d been gnawing at her since she found out about Alec’s accident intensified. “Why do you have Magnus’ phone?”

There was a painfully long silence. The words that came hurt more. “ _You... should probably sit down for this._ ” After a long career as an officer of the law, he somehow knew exactly when she’d done that and went on. “ _Maia, one of the bartenders... She found Magnus nearby his club when coming to work a couple of hours ago. For some reason he was on his way there early today and was attacked by a group of five men._ ” He gave her a moment to process the information so far. (Her brain drew a blank, shock striking her numb.) “ _What... What I saw from security footage and the brutality of the attack suggests that it was a hate crime._ ”

Izzy failed to understand because she didn’t wan to. Instead of grief rage rose. Her mind flashed back to the occasions when she’d seen Magnus get negative attention for the way he dressed and put on makeup. If she’d get her hands on those who did this to him...! She forced down her wrath with a deep, shuddering breath. “How bad?” When she got no response she tried considerably more heatedly. “Luke, how badly was he hurt?”

Luke gulped loudly before squeezing out the answer. “ _Isabelle... By the time Maia found Magnus he was dead._ ”

/

“Alexander, can you hear me?”

That voice... It would’ve reached Alec through absolutely anything. Fighting with all his might, he wrestled his eyes open. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh, smile or cry upon finding Magnus, sitting on the edge of his hospital bed. “You came.”

Magnus smiled sadly. “Of course I did. You needed me to.” The man caressed the spot above where his heart was beating. “I’ll always be here.”

Alec smiled wider. Feeling drowsy, lightheaded, tired and safe. Before his face crumbled. “Magnus... I’m sorry! I love you so much...!”

“Shh.” Magnus placed a finger on his lips. It felt cold. “I also said things I didn’t mean. And I love you, too.”

Those words were a great deal of comfort. But Alec needed something more. “Lay down with me?” he mumbled. On the verge of slipping away again.

Magnus hesitated, but only for a second. Slowly and achingly carefully the man settled down beside him. Alec pressed eagerly to his boyfriend’s side and wrapped himself around his beloved the best as he could. Never noticing that the familiar body felt much colder than it should’ve. He closed his eyes with a happy sigh.

Right there in that moment he had everything he needed in his arms.

“Alexander.” Magnus caressed him and he leaned instinctively to the touch. “You need to wake up, now. It’s not your time to go yet.”

Alec was too far gone to process his own answer properly. “... ‘know ...”, he slurred. “... five more minutes ...”

Magnus nodded. “Five more minutes. I'll watch over you.” Alec drifted away to the feel of the club owner combing fingers through his hair.

In reality, Alec had a smile on his face while he lay all alone in his hospital bed with an oxygen mask on his face. Exactly five minutes later he opened his eyes. To a world where Magnus would never open his again.

/

A few days later Alec left a message on Magnus’ answering machine. The shortest one, just three words long. Sheer anguish of a tortured soul bled into each syllable. “ _I hate you._ ”

/

Three weeks later Alec was about to attend to Magnus’ funeral, despite his doctor expressing loud concerns over whether he was up to it. Emotionally or physically. Jace’s heart broke when he came to pick up his brother.

Alec stood in the middle of his hospital room, appearing thoroughly lost and shattered. The young man stared at the tie in his hand as though not recognizing the item. His whole tall frame trembled uncontrollably from agony of several kind.

“Hey”, Jace greeted softly. And succeeded in startling his brother despite being quiet. He then noticed the other’s all-white outfit.

Alec gulped laboriously. “Magnus and I, we... we joked about our wedding, sometimes.” It was easy to hear how forced the past tense was. (A reality refusing to set in.) “I told him that I’d be the one wearing white, because he’s...” Alec lost his voice for a moment. “... was too vibrant for something so bland. And, since we’re never getting married...” Not only the man’s voice broke, but his whole grieving soul as well.

Jace pulled Alec to a hug without saying a word, feeling close to tears himself.

It took quite some time before Alec found his voice. “I... I don’t know if I can do this. I can’t...” The rest refused to come out.

Jace swallowed past the lump in his throat. “You can.” Or so he hoped dearly. “And you’re not alone, remember? We’re all here for you.”

Alec said nothing to that.

Somehow, impossibly, Alec made it through the ceremony without crumbling down. At least outwardly. Magnus was laid to rest with the ring Alec bought him on his finger. The younger man forced himself to watch, feeling like he was being buried as well.

/

That evening Magnus’ answering machine got its very last message. Alec’s voice shook from how desperately the young man struggled to keep himself together. “ _I... I don’t actually hate you. I needed to make sure that you know. I still love you so much that it’s killing me, and..._ ” He trailed off.

For the first time since hearing that Magnus was dead Alec broke down to sobs. To loud, inconsolable cries that’d never be heard by the man who died and killed a piece of him as well. The more he tried to stop crying the more hysterical the sobs became.

“ _Magnus, please...! Come back. I..._ ”

He’d reached the maximum length of a message.

/

It was the last time Alec heard Magnus’ voice. The very next day the club owner’s phone connection was closed. Taking his answering machine’s greeting away.

Alec had never felt as alone in the world as he did when he tried to call Magnus’ number. And instead of his boyfriend’s voice he got a nearly robotic, automatic message. “ _We’re sorry. You have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> So... Yeah. That was... a bit emotional.
> 
> But was that ANY good? PLEASE, do let me hear from you! Comments ALWAYS brighten my days.
> 
> In any case, THANK YOU for reading this sad little tale! Perhaps I’ll see you again, hopefully with something happier.
> 
> Take care!


End file.
